Taking One for the Team
by WhitWhat
Summary: Keller's back months after the events in "Payback". Neal risks his life to keep his friends safe. My first fanfic, please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar_

Neal knew 3 things about Keller:

He loved a challenge

If the challenge involved tormenting or hurting Neal, Keller loved the challenge even more

He never gave up

Peter Burke was a man who didn't really like surprises. It had been months since he was almost killed, locked in that cell on Keller's demand. Since then, Keller had gone off the FBI's radar and Peter wasn't so sure if or when they would cross paths again. He knew of the rivalry between Neal and Keller, but now in the dead of winter, he didn't have any reason to expect any trouble.

"Geez Caffrey," Peter thought to himself.

He hadn't seen his CI for a couple of days now and by all accounts, Neal's tracking information had placed him at June's all weekend.

Suddenly, Peter's cell phone rang, and although it was listed as an unknown number, Peter answered.

"This is Agent-," he started.

"Agent Peter Burke," a voice on the other line cut him off.

"Have you been keeping tabs on your pet convict lately, because he may not be alive by the time you find him…"

_AH: This is my first fanfic ever. Should I continue this story? Please read an review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_AN: Hey everyone! Here's another chapter that I've had in my head. Sorry if it's confusing it's supposed to flow between Peter and Neal, where one interaction stops from Neal's POV, it picks up again from Peter's POV. I know there are some pieces that probably don't make any sense. I'm still working out how to actually transfer this from my head to here! I also want to carry this story on as long as I can so trying not to give too much away at once, just trying to keep people interested until I figure out how to appeal to readers as fanfic author._

_I may be able to get another chapter up tonight (3 in one day!), but we'll see how that goes._

_Keller will be back in upcoming chapters and there's more story from Neal's POV in upcoming chapters too!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar _

* * *

It was as though the temperature had dropped 20 degrees. Peter felt like someone had knocked the wind right out of him. His mind was racing a million miles a minute, his ability to react logically gone, and his usual calm demeanor was nowhere to be found. In their place, came the questions, anxiety, and the worst of the emotions…the fear.

"Who is this?" Peter demanded, feeling his blood start to boil. "What have you done to Neal?"

"Relax," the voice responded. "I'll tell you where he is and frankly, it hurts my feelings that you don't remember me."

_Keller_. "Tell me where he is right now!"

"Dock number 3, you'll find Caffrey at dock number 3. You're in luck Agent Burke, I'm in a generous mood today, and you'll even get to hear from Caffrey himself soon. I believe you law men call that proof of life."

"Why are you doing this?" Peter was still so angry and now he was a bit confused. In all his years at the FBI, he had never heard of a case where the hostage was _given back_ without any strings attached. He was sure that Keller had something else in mind.

"Think of it as a warning Agent Burke. You didn't follow the rules and now Caffrey is paying the price."

* * *

Neal felt numb, but it was almost comfortable without any pain. It didn't last long; that feeling vanished just as quickly as it had appeared.

His eyes snapped open, darting left and right unaware of his current surroundings. As he drew in a breath his chest was racked with short raspy coughs. With every cough came a merciless pain in his torso. Neal knew he was in trouble. He didn't know if his ribs were bruised, cracked, or broken, he just knew they had to be one of the three. It must have been pure adrenaline that willed Neal to his feet. Once upright, he swayed and took some time to steady himself.

_I'm fine, everything's fine_.

Neal was trying to find a way to reassure himself, because even though he still wasn't fully aware of his surroundings and his memory was a bit fuzzy as to how he had gotten into his current predicament, he had a feeling that he was in trouble. He weaved and wobbled as he tried to walk, gripping anything within reach that he could use to steady himself. Now that he had figured out that he could walk, he knew he needed to find some kind of shelter and get help.

_Peter. Call Peter and El_._ No, I can't go to them, what if I put them in more danger?_

Neal's subconscious was imprinted with the Burke's. He wanted to get to them, to warn them, and to protect them.

_No, I can't go to them, what if I put them in more danger?_

Once steady on his feet, Neal felt a cell phone in his coat pocket. He pulled out the phone, but realized that it wasn't his. Someone must have put it in his pocket while he was unconscious. He hit the "Call" button hoping to talk to whoever it was that left him for dead.

"Caffrey, it's so nice to hear from you. How have you been lately?"

"K…Kel…ler?" Neal hadn't realized just how cold he was and how much his teeth were chattering.

"Hold that thought, there's someone that wants to talk to you, you'll hear again from me soon Caffrey, you can be sure of that."

With that, Keller disconnected their call. Neal's head was starting to spin and he almost gave into unconsciousness when he heard a familiar voice.

"Caffrey? Caffrey! Are you there?"

"P…P…Peter?"

"Yeah Neal it's me, are you all right? We're leaving soon to come and get you, so stay where you are."

"No…not safe, sta…stay away." Neal stuttered out as he ended the call.

Dropping the phone in the snow, Neal wasn't sure how much longer he could keep moving. The night was quiet and still, all except for the wind. Every time the wind blew, Neal's entire body shivered and he knew he needed to get out of the cold soon. He slowly trudged through the snow, not sure where he was heading. All he know was that he had to keep his distance from those he cared about; Peter, El, June, even Mozzie. He wasn't going to put them in danger knowing that Keller was still in town. Using all the strength he could muster, Neal continued through the snowy night, unaware of the small blood trail he was leaving behind.

* * *

"Caffrey? Neal!" Peter screamed into the phone hoping his CI was still on the other end. No answer. Feeling his heart racing and his adrenaline pumping, Peter had to take a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He wasn't going to be any good to Neal if he gave himself a heart attack. Now that he had confirmation that Neal was still alive, it was time to go get him.

Peter rushed into Hughes' office wanting to inform him of the situation.

"Sir, we have a major problem."

"What is it Peter?" Hughes asked, the urgency clearly written all over his agent's face.

"It's Keller, he's back sir and he's gone after Neal. He tampered with his anklet and then called my office directly to inform me that Neal is in trouble. I was able to speak to Caffrey and verify proof of life."

Reese Hughes sat at his desk absorbing all of this information in before responding. He had known and been friends with Peter and El for years. Peter was an agent that he had great respect for, trusting in his decisions, supporting him, and holding him in the highest regard as both and agent and a leader. No, he didn't question Peter, it was Neal Caffrey. Yes, it was true that Neal had aided the FBI in many cases over the past two years, but Hughes always seemed to keep the reformed con man at arm's length, never fully trusting him.

"You're sure that it's Keller and that Caffrey is in danger?"

"Yes sir, positive."

"All right then Burke, do whatever you have to in order to catch Keller and bring Caffrey back safely."

* * *

It wasn't long until Peter, Diana, and Jones were on their way to find Neal. Peter knew that he had to call El to tell her that he would once again, be late coming home and inform her on the situation with Neal. He dreaded making that call. He didn't want to worry her. Unfortunately, he had no choice.

"You're going to be late aren't you?" El asked, already knowing the answer. Before he even had time to respond, El cut him off. "Well, just get home when you can and tell Neal that he's invited over for dinner on Friday."

"El, Neal's in trouble," Peter said as calm as possible.

"What? Where is he? Is he ok?" The panic in El's voice was becoming apparent.

"Keller got to him, but he's alive, I talked to him, and we're on our way to get him now."

"Going to get him? Peter, he's not out somewhere in the cold is he?"

"Keller told me they left him by the docks and we're almost there now."

"Left him there?" El almost shrieked. "Peter it's barely above freezing outside! Promise me that you're going to find him and that he'll be ok."

"I promise I'll find him" Peter replied trying to somehow reassure his wife.

El knew that if Peter was going to get Neal, everything would be ok.

"Boss, over here!"

Peter rushed over to Diana, hoping she had found Neal when they reached the docks. Instead she handed him the frozen cell phone. No sign on Neal. Peter started off again to look around when Diana called for his attention again.

"Boss, you need to see this."

With her eyes planted on the ground in front of her, Peter slowly saw what she was staring at. The wind had blown the topmost layer of snow and beneath the FBI agents could see a faded red blood stain that had not quite mixed with the snow beneath it. Upon closer inspection, they were able to see the general direction Neal must have went, but the stopped not far from where it had started. Neal was out in the cold hurt and alone.

Peter cursed at Neal to himself under his breath. He had told him to stay put! But he's Neal, and he doesn't listen. They had to find him and the sooner the better

_

* * *

_

_AN: Please R&R! I've got a general Idea of where I want this story to go, but I'd love to hear suggestions if people are willing to share _


	3. Chapter 3

_Ok everybody, here's the next chapter! Thanks so much for the reviews, they are MUCH appreciated _

_Like I've said before, sorry if things don't seem to make sense, but feel free to ask me questions so I can explain. _

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar_

* * *

Neal knew that he needed shelter and warmth, fast. He also knew that Peter was looking for him. The temperature had certainly dropped and it had to be below freezing at this point. It wasn't necessarily the temperature itself that caused a problem for Neal. He had lived in New York for years now. You just learn to adapt to the changing temperatures.

Suddenly Neal started to stumble. His legs felt like rubber and he had a throbbing headache. He realized that his ribs and torso didn't hurt as much. This was probably due to the fact that his clothes were so soaked through that he now felt somewhat numb. As his legs finally gave way, Neal felt himself sink into the snow with his head still spinning. Although he tried to hold it off for as long as he could, he finally started to surrender into unconsciousness.

* * *

_Come on Caffrey, where are you?_

Peter was starting to get worried. They still hadn't sound Neal and he knew the snow was starting to pick up and the temperature continuing to drop. The fact that they had found signs of blood was not helping calm his growing anxiety. Suddenly, his phone began to ring.

"Neal? Where are you?" Peter answered not knowing the incoming number, but desperately hoping it was Caffrey.

"Agent Burke, it sounds like you're having some problems."

"Keller, where's Neal?"

"What makes you think that I know where he is? Wait you LOST him? I told you where he was, how could you lose him?"

"Oh, we'll find him and believe me Keller, after we get him, I am going to catch you, I've done it before," replied Peter, the anger in his voice rising.

"Hey now, get your facts straight, when you got to me before, you had Caffrey. What makes you think that you can catch me without your own personal criminal sidekick?"

"What did you do to him Keller? We found his blood," Peter asked hoping to get an answer so that he at least knew what kind of injury Neal was dealing with.

"Huh, he's still bleeding, that can't be good. You'd better find him fast Agent Burke, remember it's your fault that he's in this situation; you wouldn't want to be responsible for his death. By the way, hospitals aren't a good place to be in case you do find Caffrey. We wouldn't want all your hard work to find him to go to waste." Keller replied ending the call.

_Remember it's all your fault…_

Peter didn't know what to think. He never saw Keller after he had been kidnapped and Neal had done most of the interaction with him after the case with the counterfeit bottle. Peter ran through every scenario he could think of in regards to Keller's comment. He always thought that the tension was between Neal and Keller, that Keller didn't give Peter much thought focusing only on challenging and finding ways to outwit Neal.

_You didn't follow the rules and now Caffrey is paying the price…_

Remembering the earlier comment by Keller in their initial conversation, Peter found that he still had no idea what Keller was referring to. Criminals don't have rules.

"_What have you gotten yourself into Caffrey?"_

"Peter?"

Snapping out of his train of thought, Peter realized that Jones and Diana were trying to get his attention.

"Have you found anything?" Peter asked hoping for good news.

"No, there's no sign of him. Where do you think he would go?"

"He told me to stay away, but if he's injured he may not know what he's doing or what he's saying."

"Then we'll go to June's. That's the only place he'll go." Diana suggested.

There was something telling Peter that Neal hadn't gone back to June's. It wasn't exactly close by and he doubted that Neal would have been able to make it in his condition.

"No, first let's head towards my house, it's closer. Then we'll go to June's."

Jones and Diana wanted to argue, but decided against it. They both knew that it would be a mistake to argue against one of Peter's "gut feelings". Already having made that mistake before, Jones didn't want to lose any more money disagreeing.

* * *

Peter had to be honest with himself. He was losing hope of finding Neal in time.

_No, don't think that. The blood trail they found was small, so even if Neal was bleeding, it may not have been that bad._

The drive over to Peter's house seemed to take forever. There wasn't much traffic. Weather reports expected a storm in the next few hours. Although it wasn't snowing very hard, most people around his neighborhood were already off the roads. Looking out his window, Peter saw something.

Jones and Diana were jolted forward by Peter's unexpected and sudden stop. Without a word, they watched as their boss hurried out of the car and to what looked like a mound of snow near the curb. They both exited the car, not knowing what exactly Peter saw. When they got to Peter they were shocked at what they found.

"Neal? Neal! Can you hear me?"

Peter knew it was Caffrey and slowly rolled him onto his back and then checking for a pulse. He found one…barely. Neal was breathing, but the breaths sounded shallow and labored. Peter continued to yell Neal's name and started to shake him, trying to get some kind of reaction.

It took a couple minutes and Diana was already calling for an ambulance. Peter didn't care what Keller had said. Neal was in bad shape and he couldn't let him die.

* * *

Neal's entire world was dark. He could still feel himself shaking. No, he wasn't shaking from the cold, someone was physically shaking him. It was then that he heard a familiar, but fuzzy voice.

"Caffrey! Neal, wake up!"

Neal slowly tried to open his eyes, feeling the snowflakes that clung to his eyelashes.

"P…P…Pet…er?" Neal's voice shook uncontrollably as the fuzzy image above him started to become clear and he heard a sigh of relief.

"Hey buddy, yeah it's me. The ambulance is on its way. Where are you hurt?"

"Sh…shoul...der, h…ead, an' stom…ach. N…No hos...pital. K…Kel…ler"

"I don't care about Keller, you need a-," Peter started with a stern voice.

He stopped when he saw an expression he had never seen on Neal's face.

Fear, possibly almost terror.

* * *

Neal's breathing started to become rapid.

Peter checked Neal over. There was a nasty gash on his head, bruises starting to form on his torso, and after some maneuvering; he and Jones found a bandage over what looked like a stab wound in his left shoulder. Peter made a mental note to ask how Neal had managed to bandage the wound himself.

_I'm going to regret this…and El's going to kill me._

"Ok, ok calm down Caffrey, no hospital. Diana, no ambulance. We're taking him to my house."

Peter saw Neal start to protest, but spoke before the injured man could even get a word out.

"No, you can't argue this one, I already said no hospital and you can't win both arguments. We're going to get you to my house, can you walk?"

Neal gave a small nod and with Jones on Neal's other side they were able to slowly and carefully get him to his feet. After an initial stumble, Peter and Jones were able to support the injured con man and got him into the car.

* * *

_AN: Sorry to have to end the chapter here! I'm planning on getting another chapter up sometime today! Hope everyone enjoys the finale tonight! I certainly won't be missing it!_

_I'm still working out some details for how this story will continue. I'm still (and always) open to suggestions from those willing to share._

_Please R&R! (Honestly, the more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to write) _


	4. Chapter 4

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar_

_Please read the AN at the bottom!_

_Enjoy Chapter 4!_

* * *

El tried her best to keep herself busy. She fought against the urge to call Peter to see if he had found Neal. Actually she was surprised that she hadn't called him since he had told her that Neal was missing. There was no way that she was going to be able to sleep or really do anything until Peter called.

_He's going to be ok. Peter's going to find him and they're both going to walk through the door and be fine._

Ten minutes later, she heard keys in the lock and jumped up to greet her husband. The smile she had on her face, her only grasp on optimism, quickly at the sight in front of her. There was Peter and Neal, just like she had hoped, but everything was not ok.

Her eyes immediately went to Neal. At first she tried to deny that the man in front of her was the charming con man that she knew.

He was barely conscious and if it hadn't been for Peter and Jones, she knew that he wouldn't be standing. Usually dressed in the nicest suits, the clothes he was now wearing hung heavily on his thin frame. She knew that he was probably soaked to the bone, seeing that Peter, Jones, and Diana all had a thin layer of snows coating their jackets, and they hadn't been left out in the snow.

Taking a deep breath, El tried to take it all in and remain calm before reacting. It was then that she heard a muffled groan. The sound made her stomach drop to the floor. It was almost as though you could hear the mixture of pain and exhaustion.

The idea of her calm and composed reaction was immediately thrown out the window.

"Neal!" she almost screamed, hurrying over to the injured man and glancing at Peter, her eyes demanding an explanation.

"We found him a few blocks from here-, "Peter started to explain.

"Why didn't you take him to the hospital? Can't you see that he needs a doctor?" El interrupted.

_Men, how could Peter have not taken Neal to the hospital?_

* * *

Peter was about to continue, seeing the concern on his wife's face and feeling a sort of tension in the air. Before he could even get a word out, another groan cut through the tension and he felt Neal start to stumble. Shifting his hold, Peter and Jones started toward the couch.

* * *

Seeing Neal start to fall, El decided that the explanation could wait.

As Peter and Jones were getting Neal to the couch, she went to find more pillows and blankets knowing that they would be greatly needed. Handing Peter the pillows, she was once again stopped in her tracks by what she saw.

Neal Caffrey was the elusive con man that her husband had worked for years to catch. Since he and Peter started working together, she heard about and saw first-hand how he used his intellect, cleverness, and good looks to charm just about everyone. All of his past (alleged) actions aside, Neal was always polite, charming, and put on a strong front when around her. This was the man that she owed for saving her husband's life.

Now that she had a closer look at Neal, the sight brought tears to her eyes.

He was extremely pale and his lips had a bluish tint to them. The only true color she could see on his face was the blood coming from a gash on his head. She was relieved to see that the wound didn't seem to be bleeding, but it didn't make her any less concerned. She laid the blankets near the couch waiting to see if Peter needed her to get him anything else. There was still a part of her that hoped that even though Neal was hurt, it was only the visible head wound that was causing all of the trouble. It almost broke her heart when she realized that that may have been the least of Neal's worries.

* * *

Peter and Jones slowly got Neal to the couch.

"Diana, Jones head back to the office and get all of the files we have on Keller and call June and let her know that Neal will be staying here for a while. Tell her that we're just working on a case and don't tell her he's hurt. It'd be great if you can get some of Caffrey's clothes too."

"No problem Peter," Jones answered, making sure he had the keys to the car.

"You sure you don't need us here? What if Keller shows up?" Diana asked.

"I don't think Keller will give us any trouble, he's already made his first move. No, El and I can take care of Neal. "

"Ok, call if you need anything," Diana replied, closing the door behind her and Jones as they exited.

* * *

As Diana and Jones left, El joined Peter by the couch, trying to remain calm.

"What can I do?"

"We've got to get him warm and into some different clothes," Peter told her.

El nodded in agreement and as Peter leant Neal forward, she carefully managed to get his jacket off. Tossing it aside, she then noticed that Neal's shirt was so soaked through, that it seemed to be adhered to his skin. What surprised and worried her even more was the bandage on his shoulder, stained red as it had already been saturated with blood.

Not wanting to wait for Diana and Jones to bring back some of Neal's clothes, El ran upstairs and grabbed a pair of Peter's old sweats boxers and an old shirt. She also stopped to get a first aid kit and some other supplies before heading back downstairs. She gave the clothes to Peter and left the room, knowing that, had Neal been conscious, he would have been embarrassed if she had seen him changing.

Seeing that Peter had gotten Neal into the new clothes, El came back to see that Neal had started to come around.

"Oh my God, Neal. Why didn't you tell me about this too" she heard her husband say with concern.

"Did…n't know," came a response barely above a whisper.

Approaching the couch, El saw what they had been referring to. There was a large cut running down Neal's right leg. Like the cut on his head, this one had looked like most of the bleeding had stopped. Peter had rolled up the pant leg and looked overwhelmed.

"Here," El said handing over the first aid kit and other supplies.

She glanced at Neal and was horrified to see the many bruises that were starting to form on his torso. Working together, she and Peter were able to get a bandage around Neal's ribs hoping it would at least make it more comfortable for him. El hesitated a few times as the process had generated a few painful groans from Neal. When this would happen, Peter assured her that Neal was fine and that she could continue.

El and Peter worked quickly and efficiently to clean and re-bandage Neal's other wounds. When finished, Neal still hadn't completely come to.

* * *

_AN: So what does everyone think? I need some feedback, if and when you review (please do!) I had some questions:_

_Is everyone still ok following the different POVs?_

_Am I using too much detail? Not enough? Too much dialogue? Not enough?_

_So far, has the flow of the story just been too unusual? (I am planning on doing some sort of flashback (dream?) explaining what happened between Keller and Neal before Keller had called Peter)_

_Please R&R! As always I'm open to plot suggestions if people are willing to share. If anything is confusing, PLEASE ask questions! (It actually helps me develop the plot in my head when I have to explain why I wrote something the way I did)_


	5. Chapter 5

_Enjoy Chapter 5! Please read the AN at the end! _

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar._

_

* * *

_

Peter practically collapsed into the nearest chair once he and El had finished with Neal. El was in the kitchen making coffee for him and tea for herself. They both knew that neither of them were going to sleep tonight. Satchmo had woken up due to all of the commotion and Peter could see that his dog was now sleeping next to the couch, as if he knew something was wrong with Neal and he was now guarding him.

Aside from the noise coming from El in the kitchen, the house seemed incredibly quiet. In that stillness, Peter glanced over at the injured man who now occupied his couch.

He was so still.

In all the years that he had known Neal Caffrey, first the years he had spent chasing him and now especially the past two years that they had been working together, Peter would never use the word "still" if asked to describe him.

_How did you get into this mess Neal?_

Peter let out a long sigh in frustration. There were so many questions that needed to be answered. The problem being that the only one who could answer them wasn't even conscious right now. Then add that to the fact that Neal wasn't exactly an open book. Peter knew that even if they could talk right now, Neal may not be willing to share what he knew.

Hearing El pouring the coffee and tea, Peter went into the kitchen so that they could talk and still keep an eye on Neal.

"Peter, start from the beginning. What happened?"

"It started out like I told you. Keller called my office and asked if I knew where Neal was. He said that Neal may be dead by the time I find him." Peter started.

"Right, then you said that Keller actually told you where Neal was and when you called me, you were on your way to go get him." El continued, making sure she understood the situation.

"Yeah and before that, when I talked to Neal on the phone, he told me to stay away. By the time we got to the docks, Neal was gone and we found some of his blood in the snow. We thought that he would go to June's, but something told me to check around our neighborhood first. Anyway, that's when we found him unconscious in the snow only a few blocks from here."

"But Peter, I still don't understand, why didn't you take him to the hospital?" El asked.

"El, Keller had called me when we were at the docks and said that it was a very bad idea to take Neal to the hospital if we found him. You have to know that I wasn't going to listen to him, especially after I saw what rough shape Neal was in when we found him."

"I do know that Peter, but Neal's not in a hospital right now, he's unconscious on our couch," replied El, still not understanding Peter's explanation.

"I had an ambulance coming when we found him. When he came to and heard me talk about a hospital, El you should have seen his reaction. He looked so scared."

"Why would Neal be scared to go to the hospital?" questioned El.

"He said Keller's name when I mentioned the hospital. I actually think that Neal knew the kind of threat that Keller had made and actually believes that if he were to go to the hospital, Keller would come after him."

"That's the other thing," El started after a long pause. "Why did Keller even come after Neal in the first place?"

_You didn't follow the rules and now Caffrey is paying the price…_

_Remember it's all your fault…_

Peter took a deep breath before answering.

"I don't know for sure. El, I think it might be all my fault."

* * *

She couldn't believe the words that had just come out of her husband's mouth.

"Your fault? How would it be and what makes you think it's your fault?"

Peter then told El about what Keller had said to him.

"El, what if Neal getting hurt like this really is because of me?" Peter asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"You can't honestly think that? From what you're telling me, Keller did this to Neal, so that would make it Keller's fault not yours."

Peter had turned his gaze to the living room as he spoke.

"I know that Keller is the one who actually hurt Neal, but El, that kid in there is in dangerous situations all the time because he works with me. I'm responsible for him."

El could see how difficult this was for her husband. With Neal hurt, she could see that he looked at that responsibility in a whole different light.

A loud moan from the living room cut their conversation short.

* * *

Neal was disoriented.

_Where am I and why is it so cold in here?_

He started to open his eyes and tried to get up, but was surprised to find there was something forcing him back down. He tried to fight it, knowing that he was freezing and had to find some kind of shelter, but he couldn't overcome it and once pushed back down he admitted defeat.

He heard voices and realized that they were coming from the two fuzzy shapes that were in front of him.

"Neal? Can you hear me?"

He knew that voice!

_Peter. No, I have to get away from Peter, it's not safe for him._

Neal used all the strength he could muster to force himself upright. Once he got there he was rewarded with pain. His whole body hurt, the pain in his ribs only intensified when he couldn't catch his breath and started to cough.

He felt a hand on his shoulder trying to find a way to comfort him and after a couple of minutes the coughs subsided and he once again felt something forcing him to lie back down.

"P…Peter?"

"Yeah, nice of you to join us," Peter replied.

"Where are we?" Neal asked, happy he was getting his voice back.

"We're at my house, Diana, Jones, and I found you passed out in the snow." Peter thought it would be better to save the long story for later.

Neal tried to curl up and turn onto his side, his back towards Peter, in an effort to get warm.

"Neal, are you ok?"

Neal recognized Elizabeth's voice.

"Fine," he replied.

It was then he got a shiver that racked his entire frame and was sure that it didn't go unnoticed. The next thing he knew he felt Elizabeth's hand on his forehead.

"C…cold," Neal stuttered trying to get away from her touch and then trying to hide another shiver as it ran down his spine.

"Peter, he's burning up!" El said with a concerned tone.

Neal couldn't tell what was said next, as he closed his eyes and once again welcomed the state of unconsciousness.

* * *

_AN: Ok, so I'm thinking the next chapter will still be dealing with Neal being sick and then I'll continue the plot more with Keller._

_Same questions as in the AN in Chapter 4!_

_My other question is: More sick/hurt Neal? (It wouldn't be until later chapters) Less?_

_Please R&R and maybe answer some of the questions I posted at the end of the last chapter? Feel free to make suggestions and ask me questions!_


	6. Chapter 6

_Hey everyone! Thanks for all the reviews. Here's Chapter 6!_

_Enjoy!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar_

* * *

The tone of his wife's voice made Peter start to panic. El always knew what to do if someone was sick. The best part, she was always calm and seemed to have all the right answers. He had never heard this kind of concern from her.

"El, what do you need me to do?" Peter knew that in this kind of situation, it would be in the best interest for Neal if El was in charge calling the shots.

"Um, there's an ice pack in the freezer, go get it. We need to bring down his temperature," replied El as she looked for the thermometer amongst all the other stuff she had gathered earlier.

Peter quickly went to the kitchen and rummaged around the freezer until he finally found what he was looking for. When he got back to the living room, the thermometer beeped.

"102, Peter that's really high," El exclaimed trying to remain calm.

"Here's the ice pack," Peter responded moving to carefully place it on Neal's forehead.

"No wait, help me lift his head," El said taking the ice pack.

Confused, Peter gently lifted Neal's head while El placed the ice pack so that it would be on the back of his neck.

"Go get a washcloth or towel and run it under some cool water, not too cold though," El instructed after they had laid Neal back against the ice pack and pillows.

When Peter returned, El put the washcloth on Neal's forehead. Ready to do whatever El told him to do next Peter stood by the couch when he heard his phone ringing from the kitchen.

"Agent Burke, are you and Caffrey done playing hide-and-seek?"

"Keller," Peter stated, already feeling his blood pressure starting to rise.

* * *

_Keller._

As soon as El heard that name her calm temperament was nowhere to be found. Quickly glancing and seeing that Neal was still asleep she bolted up and in a few quick strides she was in the kitchen next to her husband.

"Is that really Keller?" El asked aloud.

Peter's response was a quick nod and she could tell that he wanted her to stay quiet.

"Let me talk to him," said El almost lunging for the phone, but missing as Peter moved it out of reach.

WCWCWCWC

Peter knew that it was a bad idea to put El on the line. Ducking out of her reach, he started to move around the kitchen table to get away from her.

"Keller, why are you doing this? There's no way you could possibly win."

"My husband's going to catch you and just you wait, Neal's going to find a way to outsmart you, he always does!"

Peter looked up at his wife half surprised (and half not), that she had just screamed that from across the room so that Keller would hear.

What's your angle this time Keller? Attack Neal, beat him up, and then make sure he lives for round two?"

"Attack him? Is that what he told you?" Peter was surprised by the surprise in Keller's voice.

"He hasn't had time to tell me anything, but that happens when someone goes after you and then beats you to a pulp."

Silence on the other end of the line. So silent that Peter was afraid that Keller had hung up.

"You need to have a talk with your sidekick. It's clear the strong relationship and trust you thought you two had, isn't as strong as you thought it to be."

"What are you talking about?"

"I'll tell you one thing, I didn't send anyone after Caffrey, he came to us on his own free will. The rest you'll just have to ask him," and with that the line went dead.

* * *

El was still ready to give Keller a piece of her mind when she saw Peter hang up the phone. Upset that she couldn't tear into the man responsible for Neal's current situation, she was more surprised by the look on her husband's face.

"Peter? What did he say?"

"Neal's been lying to us all along."

Before she could think of what to say next, she heard Neal starting to stir in the next room.

WCWCWCWC

Peter saw the confusion in Neal's eyes when he started to wake up.

"Caffrey, you with us?" The tone of his voice was no longer that of a friend, but as an FBI agent.

* * *

"C…cold," Neal stuttered.

Again, all he craved was warmth. He tried his best to concentrate but the pain and dizziness started to overwhelm him.

_Peter and El's._

He vaguely remembered where he was. In that moment he felt something being removed from his head and replaced with something cool. The presence of the new object made him start to shiver.

He heard Elizabeth saying his name as he felt a blanket being tucked a bit more around him.

"M'fine," he said, this time telling a half-truth. His dizziness was starting to subside and he actually felt like he could think.

That being said, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing. When his vision started to clear, he could tell that Peter was angry, concerned, but angry.

* * *

After Neal was actually able to stay conscious for more than two minutes and they discovered that although he still had a fever, his temperature was slightly lower, Peter began to ask questions.

"What happened with Keller, Neal? How did he get a hold of you?"

"He just showed up, I don't-"

Don't lie to me Neal," Peter interrupted.

Neal sighed, being that he wasn't 100%; he knew that he couldn't lie his way out of this.

"Why is Keller here and how did this happen to you?"

"Peter, I couldn't tell you, I had no choice."

"Choice? You always have a choice. It's the old Neal Caffrey that always seems to make the wrong one."

Peter could see Neal's gaze go directly to the floor. El gave him a glare and he knew exactly what it meant.

_Stop badgering Neal, he's sick, now's not the time to talk like you're giving him the third degree._

* * *

Neal knew that no matter what he told him, Peter would not be happy.

"Neal, just start at the beginning, we'll see where it takes us." Hearing Peter talk in a calmer tone, Neal decided it was time to tell the truth.

"Keller first contacted me about a month ago. He wanted to finish our chess game. A couple weeks ago I was here and you showed me a postcard with a chess move on it, that's how Keller contacts me. Sending you a card is his way of getting to me. He wants me to know that he can still get to you or Elizabeth even after what he did to you months ago. I didn't want to tell you because it would put you both in danger. So I contacted him pretending to be you. I did pretty well because he wanted to set up a meeting with you to come face-to-face. He set all of these rules. No FBI backup and I wasn't supposed to know he had contacted you or show up at the meeting. I went to the meeting anyway and that's when they did this to me"

When he finally finished, Peter looked speechless.

"Don't you get it Peter? Keller would have killed you or came after Elizabeth. He won't kill me because he doesn't have another opponent like me."

Neal wanted to add more, but he was starting to feel dizzy again. The next thing he knew he had fallen back against the pillows and was slowly drifting into unconsciousness.

* * *

Peter didn't know what to say.

He looked at El and he could see that she was on the verge of tears, but speechless all the same.

Without a word, Peter walked into the kitchen and slammed his fists on the table.

* * *

After she made sure Neal was sleeping comfortably, El quietly followed her husband.

Not sure what to say, she just stood there by his side, supporting him in silence for now.

* * *

"El…," Peter said his voice almost wavering, "It's all my fault. Neal could have died and it's all my fault. He's supposed to be my responsibility. I'm supposed to look out for him. How could I have let this happen?"

* * *

El didn't say anything. She knew that Peter needed more time before talking with her would actually start to help.

* * *

Peter glanced over at Neal, sound asleep.

_Keller's not getting away with this…_

_

* * *

_

_AN: That's it for now. Didn't want to give too much away. Now you know that Keller wanted to meet Peter, but Neal showed up instead. I'll go into more detail and tell what actually happened between Neal and Keller at the meeting in the next couple of chapters. _

_I may be changing this a bit, not sure I'm completely happy with it. Sorry if it's confusing, ask me questions if you totally don't get it!_

_Please R&R! _


	7. Chapter 7

_So I know I haven't updated in FOREVER and I'm so sorry about that! _

_If you forgive me, enjoy Chapter 7 _

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar._

* * *

It wasn't until morning that Neal was able to really stay awake and converse with Peter and Elizabeth. His whole body ached and although his fever wasn't completely gone, it had definitely lowered. Now came the time he dreaded, now he had to explain to Peter just what had happened. Taking a deep breath, Neal recalled the recent events.

_Neal walked into Peter's office noting the odd look on the agent's face as he stared at a postcard._

"_Hey Peter, what's that? Elizabeth's not out of town is she?"_

"_What? No, I got this in my mail today and I can't figure out who sent it or what it says," Peter explained._

_Taking the card from Peter's hand, Neal's eyes widened as soon as he got a closer look. All that was written was a chess move. It was Keller, he was sure of it. Realizing that Peter was giving him a confused look, Neal did his best to cover his reaction._

"_Have you ever seen anything like this?" Peter asked._

"_No…no, I haven't," Neal lied."Look I'm sure it's nothing, but why don't you let me look into it with my contacts first?"_

"_Your contacts?" Peter replied skeptically._

"_Come on Peter, you don't want to send the whole FBI on something that could be nothing," said Neal trying to sell Peter on the idea of just letting the card go. "I promise if I find anything, I'll let you know."_

_Reluctantly, Peter gave in, an action that both surprised and relieved Neal._

* * *

"Wait, this whole thing stemmed from that card?" Peter questioned.

"Yes, like I said before, Keller contacts me through chess moves. That's how he did it when he challenged me with the Franklin bottle," Neal explained.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Peter could feel a pit in his stomach, now that it was verified that Neal was in his current condition because of him.

"Peter, just wait. I'll explain everything," Neal promised.

As he shifted his weight, he couldn't help but wince. Waiting a moment, relieved that it didn't startle Peter and El, Neal noticed that Peter had remained quiet. Taking advantage of the pause he continued to tell his story.

* * *

_With Mozzie out of town, Neal knew he was on his own to find and deal with Keller. He knew that he had to intercept any other communication between Keller and Peter. Neal was filled with guilt. Even though Peter and El were fine, he knew that if it hadn't been for him, they may not even know who Keller is, let alone receiving postcards from him._

_It wasn't until a week or so later when he was having dinner with the Burkes that Neal snuck away and bugged their phone. This wasn't just any bug though. With this bug he could completely intercept the call and pose as Peter._

_It was the same night that the bug was planted that Neal got the first call._

"_This is Burke," Neal answered, in his best impersonation of Peter._

"_Agent Burke, it's nice to hear you again, have you gotten my card?" the voice on the other end answered, recognizable immediately to Neal as Keller._

"_Who are you? What do you want?" Neal responded, trying to play his part, knowing that Peter may not recognize the voice._

"_I'm offended, you don't remember me?" Keller replied. "I would have thought all that time you spent in that cell last time we crossed paths would have stuck in your mind a bit more."_

"_Keller," Neal stated, not having to fake the anger that he would assume Peter's voice could contain._

"_Oh, so you do remember me," Keller teased, "I'm so glad."_

"_What do you want?" Neal demanded._

"_Why Agent Burke, you're the one that got away," Keller responded, "I want a rematch." _

_Now Neal understood. Keller was a logical criminal in his own way. He loved a challenge. Thinking back, Neal realized that in some way, Keller must see the fact that Peter got away from his trap, almost as a failure to a challenge. Keller versus an FBI agent._

"_What makes you think I'd meet with you?" Neal asked._

"_Let's just say that if you don't, I know where you live and all about that pretty wife you have."_

_Neal now felt even worse. He knew he had to do anything and everything Keller wanted. He didn't like his rival contacting Peter in the first place, but now Keller was making threats that included Elizabeth too._

"_Fine, where and when?"_

* * *

Like her husband, El had stayed quiet for most of Neal's story. She would glance over at Peter periodically and could see the mixture of both sadness and anger etched onto his face. Knowing that they were the reason that Neal was laying on their couch injured and sick broke her heart.

"Neal, why?" she asked, her question short and simple.

"I couldn't let him hurt either you," Neal replied, his gaze focused down on his hands, avoiding eye contact with them both.

There was a moment of complete silence that spread throughout the room. In that moment, El looked at Peter as she started to feel the tears welling up in her eyes. Peter was speechless. The conman's simple answer hit them almost like a ton of bricks.

Two years ago, Neal Caffrey was just the conman that Peter was responsible for. He was only out of prison to help the FBI. It was over time that both Peter and El truly started to care about Neal, not only as Peter's coworker, or their friend, but almost as a member of their family. They also knew that Neal felt the same way. But it was in that moment, that statement, that made the Burkes realize just how important they were to Neal, and as equally just as important Neal was to them.

For Neal, it was the same kind of reaction. The silence made him a bit uncomfortable. He knew that Peter and Elizabeth knew that they were important to him and that he cared about them, but he had never admitted a sense of responsibility that he also felt over them. In his mind, admitting something like that was only a reminder that he was a criminal, that he came from a checkered past and was associated with questionable people.

It was another few moments until Peter finally broke the silence.

"Neal, what happened when you met Keller?" he asked, not sure he really wanted to know the answer.

Neal took a deep breath, wincing at the pain it caused in his ribs. He didn't want to tell them everything. Even though they could clearly see the results of that meeting, Neal still thought that the less the Burkes knew the safer they would be. But when he finally made eye contact with El, then with Peter, he knew he wouldn't be able to get away with anything but the complete and honest truth.

"Well, as you can imagine," Neal started, "Keller wasn't too happy when I showed up…"

* * *

_AN: There it is! Hope you like it! The next chapter will explain what actually happened during the meeting with Keller, so definite Neal whump is included!_

_Questions, suggestions, thoughts in general? (Please go easy on the criticism!) The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to keep writing :) (And I do have more to this story that I want to add, if the interest is still there for everyone)_

_Please R&R! _


	8. Chapter 8

_AN: And here's Chapter 8…Please enjoy and read the AN at the bottom!_

_Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar._

* * *

"_There's an old warehouse near the docks, tomorrow night," Keller instructed._

"_I'll be there," Neal responded._

"_Oh, and Agent Burke, here are the rules," Keller added. "Come alone, no FBI backup and no Caffrey. In fact, don't even tell him you're talking to me."_

_The phone line went dead and Neal took a few deep breaths to calm himself._

_He knew that Keller was serious. But he had made up his mind. He was going to meet Keller in place of Peter, no matter the consequences. The more he thought about it, Neal realized that he owed this to Peter and Elizabeth. Peter never should have gotten kidnapped on Keller's demand months ago in the first place._

* * *

_When Neal arrived at the warehouse the next day, it was empty. He knew that Keller had to be there somewhere. After a few minutes, a loud yell cut through the air._

"_Caffrey? What are you doing here?" Keller shouted._

"_What do you want with Peter?" Neal demanded._

_After a few tense moments, Keller finally figured it out._

"_He doesn't even know about this meeting does he?" Keller asked, not getting any response. Then the other foot dropped and he understood the situation completely. "I've been talking to you this whole time haven't I Caffrey?"_

"_You need to leave Peter and Elizabeth out of this," Neal started, "we both know that you just want to get to me."_

"_That's where you're wrong," Keller stated. "Agent Burke got away from me last time and with him went the ransom I put over his head."_

_Neal finally figured it out. Of course! Keller was still in hot water with some Russians and is not only mad that Peter got away but is once again desperate for the money._

"_Peter's never going to help you," Neal replied._

_A smile spreading across Keller's face was the last thing he saw when he felt something hit him from behind._

* * *

_The pounding headache is what finally caused Neal to come to. He soon realized that his hands and feet were bound and he was hanging from the ceiling with his feet only a few inches off the ground. As he was trying to take in the rest of his surroundings, Neal suddenly felt a knife being forced into his left shoulder. With his best effort, he tried to suppress a scream, but was unsuccessful._

"_You just had to be the big hero," Keller said as he twirled the knife in his hand._

"_I thought you were smarter than this Keller," Neal choked out._

"_Oh, believe me Caffrey, I am," Keller responded._

"_Really? Because killing me won't make Peter do what you want," Neal yelled._

"_I'm not going to kill you," Keller replied. "On the contrary, you're making this easier for me."_

"_What are you talking about?" Neal asked extremely confused._

"_Let's just say my plans have changed thanks to you," Keller started, "we're going to let you go Neal, but before we do, I have some people that would love to meet you."_

_With that Keller left a confused Neal in the room as 4 of Keller's men entered. Neal knew he was in trouble. After being placed back on solid ground, Neal was ever so nicely greeted with a punch to the gut. Doubled over in pain, he fell to the floor gasping for breath. In no time the assault just kept on coming. Still reeling from the first blow, he curled into himself trying to protect his torso. It was to no avail because the 4 men just started to kick him as hard as they could._

_After some time, what felt like hours to Neal, he was sure that Keller had been lying to him. That these 4 men, who had already landed several kicks to his torso and head, were going to kill him. Neal gladly welcomed the unconsciousness that had finally started to creep in._

_Neal awoke disoriented and confused. He was on a table and realized that someone had bandaged the stab wound in his shoulder. In those first few moments he believed that it would be only a matter of time until he saw Peter and El coming in to check on him. He was so sure that he was in the safety of their home and that Peter had somehow found him and came to his rescue._

"_Welcome back Caffrey," said a voice that snapped Neal back to reality. _

"_Now that we've got you all bandaged up, why don't you run along and find your FBI friend?" Keller instructed._

_Neal couldn't even say a word, the throbbing pain in his head and unrelenting pain radiating from his ribs all seem to hit him at once now that he was conscious. He suddenly felt a new pain in his leg as he saw Keller making a long cut._

"_Just thought I would leave you with an extra little parting gift," Keller said with a smirk on his face._

_The next thing Neal knew was someone was roughly picking him up from the table and dragging him into a car. Still in extreme pain, Neal was literally thrown from the car into a pile of snow. The last thing he could remember is the sound of a car speeding off into the distance before the whole world turned black._

* * *

Once again, Peter and El found themselves to be speechless.

"I think you know the rest probably better than I do," Neal told them. He was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.

"Uh…yeah," Peter responded not sure of what else to say.

El hadn't been able to hold her tears back and was about to excuse herself from the room when she realized that there was a new layer of sweat forming on Neal's forehead. She quickly applied a new cloth to his brow and watched as the young man shivered at the change in temperature, a clear sign that his fever still hadn't broken. She ran her fingers through his hair trying to move the pieces that were matted to his forehead. As she did this, Neal's shiver subsided and she heard and felt him breathe a sigh of relief.

Peter had so many questions that he wanted answered. He was about five seconds away from grabbing his gun and hunting down Keller himself. As he felt El move past him to better take care of Neal, Peter realized that his questions would have to wait. Neal was in no condition to continue explaining and answering questions.

"Get some sleep, Buddy," Peter said putting a reassuring hand on the young conman's shoulder. "You're safe here."

As he looked at his sick and injured friend, Peter realized why Neal had refused the hospital. If Keller had made threats against him and Elizabeth, Neal must have known that Keller was so serious that he would put himself in danger. Peter remembered Keller's warning not to take Neal to the hospital if they found him. Putting that threat and the look of pure terror in Neal's eyes when he mentioned a hospital when they did find him, it was clear that Neal knew Keller would make good on a threat like that. No, Neal was safer at their house until they figured out their next move.

* * *

Once they were satisfied that Neal had fallen asleep, Peter and El still sat in their living room in order to keep an eye on their young charge.

All of a sudden, El burst into tears. She couldn't hold them back any longer. With her head buried against his shoulder, Peter did all he could to comfort her.

"How could anyone do something like this to him?" El asked once she had calmed down a bit.

"I don't know," Peter answered as honestly as he could.

As the couple continued to watch and care for Neal throughout the night, Peter made a promise to a sleeping Neal, to El, and to himself.

He was going to find and stop Keller no matter the cost.

* * *

_AN: Hey everyone there it is, Chapter 8! Hope you liked it _

_This chapter may be changed (I'm not sure I liked how I wrote the flashback parts of it)_

_I've gotten some new readers in the last couple months, so I have to ask: Do people want more Neal whump in future chapters?_

_I've been planning on it, but I'm open to leaving it out if people are really against it occurring again._

_One more question, is this a story you guys want to see go on for many more chapters if I have the plot/material for it (I'd really like to make this a 20 chapter fanfic if I can). Or is this a kind of old news story that you want to see end in a few chapters? You can be honest, just not so honest that you're criticizing my writing too much (Please keep in mind this is still my first fanfic that I have EVER written)_

_Questions, suggestions, thoughts in general? (Please go easy on the criticism!) The more reviews I get, the more motivated I am to keep writing :) _

_P.S. You may be able to get another chapter out of me today (that would be 3 in one day) depending on how many reviews I get._

_Please R&R! _


	9. HC POLL!

Ok, so I've got a few ideas of how this story is going to continue and if you've read my previous ANs you'll know that I really want to add more Neal whump in later chapters…

Seeing that just about everybody likes the h/c Neal, here are my poll questions:

**1. What kind of Neal whump do you want to see?**

**A) **Similar to the first one, Neal takes Peter's place (like he did at the meeting?)

**B) **Neal sneaks off alone to deal with Keller, trouble ensues, and is rescued by Peter (by "rescued" I mean the FBI finds where Neal is((i.e. a warehouse)) and raids it, rescuing Neal)

**C) **Same as option B, and ends similarly to the beginning where he is found by Peter (like when he was found in the snow)

**D) **Neal is injured/sick again and this time he successfully hides it from Peter and El for a short time

* * *

**2. Should I write more whump where Neal is sick (fever, flu, etc…) or more where he is physically injured?**

* * *

**3. With a new h/c whump, should he be recovering in a hospital or at the Burkes' home (more specifically, on their couch)?**

* * *

I know everyone here seems to love Neal h/c, so I'm leaving the decision up to my readers! I'll be checking the responses by 10pm tonight to see what people are thinking…hoping to get a chapter up tonight! I'm thinking a chapter completely dedicated to Peter's POV of Neal being at their house recovering. I promise I'll move on with more Keller plot later!


	10. Chapter 9

_Ok so here it is…Chapter 9!_

_All of the italicized text below is Peter's memory or flashback if you will._

_Also if you've seen my H/C Poll, this chapter is not based off of that. That's for later chapters. This was something I've always wanted in the story _

Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar

* * *

It wasn't until two days later that Peter felt that he could breathe a sigh of cautious relief. As he almost fell into the living room chair, running his hands over his face and through his hair in exhaustion, Peter watched his friend sleep comfortably for the first time in days.

He couldn't believe all that Neal had told them. Still unable to fully accept the recent events as what they were, Peter still blamed himself. This had been the worst two days of his life.

_Could he have done something to stop Keller?_

Maybe. He'd have to wait until he could talk to Neal again to get more answers.

No, that wasn't the thing that was getting to him the most. Then it hit him…

He truly cared about Neal and his well-being. As the realization hit him full force, Peter started to deny it.

_He's just my partner and he knows how we feel about him. We always say that he's like a part of our family._

Peter started to play out the events of the past two days in his head

* * *

_Once Neal had finished his explanation of his encounter with Keller, Peter's mind was spinning._

_Positive their friend was finally asleep; Peter and El went into the kitchen. Peter stood at the sink while El opened the fridge trying to look busy. There was complete silence in the room, so thick you could cut it with a knife. Peter was so angry and could feel the almost rage as it passed through his body. All he wanted to do is punch a wall. No, actually, he really just wanted to punch Keller. In the silence he suddenly heard his wife crying, even though she was trying her best to contain them._

_In that moment, Peter knew he had to push his feelings aside. It took sometime before he was able to calm El down and watched as she went up the stairs, needing a moment to herself. Left alone in the kitchen Peter heard a small moan coming from the living room._

_Not sure how to help his friend, Peter could only watch as he saw Neal shift his body in pain. Putting a hand on Neal's shoulder, Peter could feel the heat radiating from the con man's body. Worried, he was about to call for El knowing that she would know what to do. Before he could get a word out he felt Neal's body start to relax. El came down the stairs a minute later to check on Neal again, almost reading her husband's mind._

_It took sometime before El was convinced that Neal was as well as he could be considering the circumstances. Knowing that neither of them were going to get any sleep, both Peter and El once again went into the kitchen, sitting down to have some coffee._

"_Peter, his fever is getting worse again," El said breaking the silence. "He needs to be in a hospital."_

"_I know, but he just can't. It's not safe there," Peter replied, knowing she was right._

"_Hon, we can't properly take care of him here," El tried to protest._

"_El, he can't go!" Peter shouted, his voice rising._

_Seeing the shock in his wife's eyes, Peter couldn't believe that he had just yelled at her. They never fought or yelled._

"_El, I'm sor-", he started, looking down at his coffee cup._

"_It's ok, I know," El cut him off. She knew that he wasn't mad at her, but she was worried that he wasn't making the right decision. Before she could say anything else, Peter spoke._

"_You don't understand, Keller WILL go after him if he's in a hospital and Neal knows that. He wouldn't have refused a hospital when we first found him if he thought Keller was bluffing." As he explained, the picture of Neal's terrified face when they had found him and tried to get him to a hospital flashed through Peter's mind._

_Seeing the exhaustion in her husband's face, El decided that they both had reached their limit for tonight. Neal was safe on their couch and whatever happened next could wait until tomorrow. Taking his hand, she led Peter into the living room and, after creating a makeshift bed on the floor, they both tried to get some kind of sleep, never really taking their eyes off of their injured friend._

* * *

_The next day repeated the first. Neal was ok, but his fever kept him sleeping for almost the whole day. Both Peter and El didn't go into work. In the evening, after a quick call into the office and giving a brief update to Jones and Diana, Peter joined El in the living room again. As soon as he saw her face, he was worried._

"_Peter, I'm still worried about his fever," El tried to explain. "It's not dangerously high, but he's definitely warmer than he was yesterday."_

_Knowing she was ready to start the car to go to the hospital, Peter tried one last time to honor his friend's wishes._

"_El, I know you're right, but let's just give him one more night. If the fever's not any better by morning, I will take him to the hospital."_

_Not wanting to give in, El trusted her husband, and she took his word._

_Knowing that Neal was in good hands, Peter excused himself, put on his jacket and walked out onto the patio._

_Once outside, away from El, Peter barely controlled his anger. Taking a few deep breaths, he looked up to the evening sky, not sure of what to do next, and spoke. _

"_Ok God, I don't do this very often…and please don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way, but you have a sick sense of humor. How could you let this happen? I mean, take a look at Caffrey's life. We both know it's been riddled with bad decisions, probably of his own doing. With all that in mind, why put him through something like this now? Don't you think you've done enough to him, for, I don't know…a lifetime? He doesn't talk about his past and I have a feeling that there are plenty of skeletons in that closet. Next, he finds Kate and he's happy, yeah he's illegally forging bonds and a whole bunch of other alleged crimes, but he's happy with Kate. Then, I catch him and he's in prison for almost 4 years and Kate walks away. He gets out to work with me and reconnects with Kate, only to witness her death in that explosion not long after. What are you trying to do to this kid? How many tests can you put him through? Look what Keller's done to him. No one deserves that and why didn't you clue me into what was going on so I could STOP HIM?"_

_By the end of his very one-sided conversation, Peter felt better. He had finally gotten everything off his chest. Then he had one more request._

"_Just, please, let him be ok," Peter asked very simply._

_Then the realization suddenly hit him, Neal truly was like a part of the family. He was like a brother, or…even like a son to him._

* * *

The next day, Peter's prayer, if you could call it that, had been answered. Neal's fever was finally starting to break and although, he was still exhausted and weak, the young con man seemed to be more like himself.

As he finally felt he could breathe a sigh of relief, the phone rang.

"Agent Burke, the game's not over yet…"

* * *

_AN: So there it is! PLEASE, PLEASE R&R! I'd especially like to hear people's thoughts on Peter's conversation with God. Was it ok? _

_Criticism is ok, but please go easy. ALSO! If you haven't answered my H/C Poll, please put your answers in your reviews and let me know what you think!_

_Lots of reviews may just equal another chapter done late tonight! _


	11. Chapter 10

_I am SOOOOOOO sorry for the extremely long wait for this next chapter. I've had a really hard past few months and a lot to deal with so this just kind of fell to the side. Thanks to all of those that have stuck with me!_

_Here's chapter 10! Please bear with me a bit as it's not exactly how I want it. It's been so long since I've updated, that it's hard for me to get back into my own story. _

Disclaimer: I do not own White Collar

* * *

"Keller," Peter stated. "What do you want now?"

"You sound upset Agent Burke," replied Keller. "When's the last time you slept?"

Peter didn't satisfy that question with an answer. Keller knew that Neal was staying with them and now he was trying to anger Peter more.

"What do you WANT Keller?" Peter asked again walking out of earshot from the sleeping con man. Thankfully El was out running a couple of errands, so Peter didn't have to worry about her hearing his conversation with Keller either.

"Well, thanks to Caffrey we never had our meeting. Now that I know he won't be a problem for awhile, I want to reschedule and this time, I want to see you."

Peter knew Keller wasn't going to stop until they met face-to-face. Neal's current condition was a clear example of this.

"Ok, when and where?" Peter replied still keeping his eye on a sleeping Neal.

* * *

Neal wasn't sleeping.

In fact, he had woken up a few minutes before he heard Peter's phone ring. Hearing the tone in the agent's voice, Neal knew it had to be Keller at the other end of the line. Keeping his eyes closed he pretended to be asleep as he could hear Peter leave the room.

"Ok, when and where?"

_No…What are you doing Peter?_

Neal couldn't believe his ears. Peter had just agreed to meet with Keller.

_This is EXACTLY what I was trying to avoid!_

As Peter walked into the room, Neal spoke quickly.

"Who were you talking to Peter?"

"Neal!" Peter said, shocked to see him awake. "What are you talking about?"

"Keller…I know you were talking to Keller," Neal stated matter-of-factly. "What did he say? What did you do Peter?"

* * *

Peter had two options. He could deny, deny, deny. This of course means that he would have to lie to a friend. Or he could tell Neal the truth. But, in his condition, Peter wasn't sure it was a great idea.

_He trusts me. He risked his life for me. I have to tell him the truth and maybe he could help._

"Ok, you're right. Keller wants to see me." Peter answered. Seeing that Neal wasn't going to react well, Peter continued trying to calm him down. "Neal, listen, this is something I have to do."

"No Peter, actually this is not only something you don't have to do, but it's something you shouldn't do."

Peter was a bit taken aback by Neal's response. He was supposed to be the rational one, thinking things through and lecturing Neal about the difference between a good idea and a bad idea. This time the roles seemed to be reversed.

Before Peter could say another word, Neal was almost crying out in pain as he quite literally forced himself from a sitting position on the couch to almost standing up completely.

Peter was across the room in a second. He was able to catch Neal just in time when it looked like his legs had given out due to their sudden use.

"What do you think you're doing Caffrey?" Peter muttered as he started to help Neal back onto the couch.

"No, Peter," Neal started a bit out of breath, "I need to get off that couch."

Seeing the determination in the young man's face, Peter could see there was really no talking him out of it. With one arm around his friend's waist, Peter draped Neal's arm over his shoulders and guided him to a nearby chair. Once Neal was settled Peter looked at him with a worried and almost scolding look.

* * *

"Peter, I'm fine," Neal tried to assure the agent when he saw the look on his face.

"I don't think you can talk your way out of this one Neal," Peter replied. "What were you doing?"

"I just needed to move a bit," Neal said. "Peter really, don't worry."

After catching his breath for a few minutes Neal attempted to stand again. This time he didn't get anywhere when Peter pushed him back into the chair.

"Caffrey! What are you doing?" Peter asked again, getting a bit angry.

"Well if you're going to meet Keller, I have to be able to walk if I'm going with you."

"Who said anything about you coming with me?"

"Come on Peter, you can't go alone," Neal protested.

"Neal, you're not going," Peter said in a serious tone.

"Peter, you really don't know what you're getting yourself into…"

"Oh, and I suppose that you're the expert in how to deal with Keller in a calm, non-violent way in which no one gets hurt in the end?" Peter interrupted.

"Ok, I agree, I'm not exactly the prime example of that right now," Neal replied.

"Good, then we finally agree on something."

"Peter, you know that you can't trust Keller!"

"I never said I trusted him, but this may be our only chance to finally get him."

"Then if that's the plan, you're going to need your best CI and no one knows Keller better than I do."

* * *

Peter had never seen such determination in the young man's eyes. It was clear that Neal wasn't going to give in and that the stress of this argument was beginning to take its toll on his already injured condition. Against his better judgment, Peter spoke.

"Alright Neal, if I let you come to the meeting do you promise to let this go and rest?'

Neal was shocked. Never did it cross his mind that Peter would actually LET him come with to meet Keller.

"Yes, so what's the plan?"

"The plan is that you can come but you're staying in the van which will be parked a considerable distance away from the place where I will be meeting Keller alone."

"But…" Neal protested.

"This is not negotiable," Peter stated.

Sensing that there was no way that he was going to win this argument Neal decided not to try and push his luck.

After helping Neal back onto the couch and watching as exhaustion quickly overcame his friend, Peter took a deep breath. He knew that he had to meet Keller, but still felt unsure about his decision to let Neal accompany him.

Then it hit him.

He still had to tell El about all of this when she came home. He wasn't sure what he was dreading more.

* * *

_AN: So there it is! PLEASE, PLEASE R&R!_


End file.
